In photographic processing of color photographic materials, demands for higher efficiency and higher productivity have recently been increasing. The tendency is particularly pronounced in the field of color print production, and it has been highly desirable to shorten the processing time in order to cope with the request for rapid delivery of finished prints.
As is well known, processing for obtaining color prints comprises light exposure and color development. Use of a highly sensitive light-sensitive material leads to a reduction in exposure time. On the other hand, reduction of color development time essentially requires the combination of a light-sensitive material which can be rapidly developed and a processing solution or a processing method.
Known techniques proposed to accomplish the above-described object include use of a color photographic material containing a silver chloride emulsion in place of a silver chlorobromide emulsion having a high bromide content that has been widely employed in the conventional light-sensitive materials for color prints (hereinafter referred to as a color paper). For example, International Publication WO 87-04534 discloses a method of rapidly developing a color photographic material containing a high silver chloride emulsion with a color developer containing substantially no sulfite ion and benzyl alcohol.
Further, JP-A-61-70552 proposes a method for reducing the rate of developer replenishment, in which a high silver chloride color photographic material is development-processed while replenishing a development bath at such a rate that does not cause overflow (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). JP-A-63-106655 discloses a method for assuring processing stability, in which a high silver chloride color photographic material is development-processed with a color developer containing a hydroxylamine compound and a chloride at or above a given concentration.
From the viewpoint of color print production in photofinishing laboratories (the so-called color laboratories), an increase in productivity as high as is possible within a limited area is required. Today for increased efficiency, saving of space for storing the color paper or reduction in size of a printer or a processer has also been strongly demanded. In this connection, a reduction in thickness of the color paper would result in an increased volume of color paper which can be wound around a roll, thereby attaining efficiency, for example, through reduction in magazine size.
However, color papers prepared using a thin support with the above purpose in mind have proved to have, unexpectedly, defects in performance. That is, a deterioration of image sharpness occurs in color prints obtained from the thus prepared thin color papers and this is a great problem in practical use.
On the other hand, in the field of advertisement, a print obtained from a negative which is observed by transmitted light has been widely put into practical use as a display. There is now on the market a light-sensitive material which can be observed using either transmitted light or reflected light and has enjoyed an increasing demand because it serves as a display without the necessity for lighting. Light-sensitive materials of this type generally comprise a semi-transparent support having provided thereon light-sensitive emulsion layers. However, the same problem of reduced sharpness is encountered with these materials.
This problem has been studied, considering factors common to the above-described two types of light-sensitive materials. As a result, it has been found that the reduction in transmission density (especially in the red region) of a support causes this deterioration in sharpness.
It is known to incorporate a dye for preventing irradiation or halation into a light-sensitive material to thereby improve sharpness. Dyes which can be introduced into the above-described reflection type light-sensitive materials for this purpose must not adversely influence the performance properties of the light-sensitive materials, such as sensitivity, gradation and storability of the products and be capable of being rapidly washed away or rendered colorless upon development processing so as not to remain to cause staining of the white background.
Examples of dyes known to meet these requirements include oxonol dyes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,247,127, 3,469,985, and 4,078,933, anthraquinone dyes described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,865,752, and cyanine dyes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,843,486 and 3,294,539.
It has been found on testing, however, that incorporation of these dyes into the above-described high silver chloride light-sensitive material, which can be subjected to rapid processing, in order to compensate for the deterioration of sharpness due to reduction of transmission density of a reflective support gives rise to serious problems That is, when these known dyes are combined with a silver halide emulsion having a high silver chloride content, (1) most of them have turned out to cause considerable desensitization upon exposure in an atmosphere of high humidity; (2) even those dyes that do not cause desensitization at high humidity have turned out to cause acceleration of development in the toe of the characteristic curve to impair the linearity of photographic response thereby failing to reproduce favorable gradation; and (3) even these dyes that do not cause desensitization at high humidity have turned out to increase fog during long-term continuous processing.
Accordingly, development of techniques overcoming these problems has been an important subject for improving productivity and efficiency in color laboratories